Australia have been forced to settle for silver in the mixed freestyle relay with France bursting out of the blocks to smash the world record at the short course world championships in Melbourne.
Long course world champions in the 4x50m, Australian swim sensation Emma McKeon swam the final leg and entered the pool out of a medal spot but powered home to finish second.
The Netherlands picked up bronze with the USA, defending short course world champions, missing the podium.
France were dominant from the first leg, led off by Maxime Grousset, with Australia's Kyle Chalmers coming home in third spot.
Melanie Henique anchored the French four and touched the wall in one minute 27.33 seconds, eclipsing the USA-held record by 0.56 with Australia clocking 1:28.03.
Chalmers said there was little else his team could do, with France needing a world record to beat them.
"It's a busy night of racing, so to go off the gun and be a little bit faster than this morning was nice," Chalmers told the Nine Network.
"I had confidence these guys could bring us home, for them to break a world record, there's nothing more we could probably do."
McKeon backed up from the relay to set the pace heading into Saturday's 50m freestyle final while Chalmers won his semi but posted the fourth fastest time in the men's field.
Another world mark fell in the women's 50m backstroke with Canadian Maggie MacNeil breaking her own record.
The 22-year-old recorded 25.25, topping her previous best by 0.02 seconds, with American Claire Curzan in second and Australian teen Mollie O'Callaghan picking up bronze.
The Americans had more to celebrate in the women's 200m breaststroke with Kate Douglass and Olympic silver medallist Lilly King taking the top two spots.
Australia's Jenna Strauch finished fourth.
Daiya Seto won Japan's first gold medal of the meet, taking out the men's 200m breaststroke.
